NSU Cybersecurity Program Nationally Endorsed through 2027

For the third consecutive time, "Norfolk State University has been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) for the validated program(s) of study through the academic year 2027." The university was notified on April 12, 2022, in a letter from the National Security Agency to Dr. Jonathan Graham, Director of the Information Assurance Research Education and Development Institute (IA-REDI) at Norfolk State.

The university was first designated as a CAE-CD in 2009, then redesignated in 2015.

According to the NSA website at https://www.nsa.gov/Academics/Centers-of-Academic-Excellence/, “The National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) program is managed by NSA's National Cryptologic School. Federal partners include the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)/National Initiative on Cybersecurity Education (NICE), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Defense Office of the Chief Information Officer (DoD-CIO), and U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM).”

The “NCAE-C program aims to create and manage a collaborative cybersecurity educational program with community colleges, colleges, and universities that establishes standards for cybersecurity curriculum and academic excellence, includes competency development among students and faculty, values community outreach and leadership in professional development, integrates cybersecurity practice within the institution across academic disciplines, and actively engages in solutions to challenges facing cybersecurity education.”

By receiving endorsement in these standards, Norfolk State, as a CAE institution, can assure that cybersecurity students are receiving an education that “…is producing the qualified workforce needed by the nation.”

And, since this recent endorsement is in place until 2027, Norfolk State University is well-positioned for the coming years to not only ensure that our federal partners will have an employment pipeline to well-qualified cybersecurity operatives, but that they will be a diverse pool of candidates who can not only do the job, but can help our partners in their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

As a CAE institution for the past 13 years, Norfolk State already boasts many cybersecurity graduates who are currently employed by our federal partners, as well as many private companies, helping defend the nation against cyber threats, terrorism, and criminal enterprises.

Now, as the university continues for the next five years as a CAE institution, NSU can look forward to funneling even more qualified personnel into these endeavors. For more information on Norfolk State University’s cybersecurity program, visit https://www.nsu.edu/cybersecurity today and make use of the links there to learn about the many facets of the program.